Loose-leaf device



J. L. McMILLAN.

LOOSE LEAF DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1916.

Patented June 8, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- 314 0214 fox J. L. McMILLAN.

LOOSE LEAF DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31. 1916.

Patented June 8, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 J. L. McMlLLAN.

LOOSE LEAF DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 3], 1916.

' Patented June 8, 1920 3 SHEETSSHEET 3,-

jvwen fez UNITED STATES JOHN L. MCMILLAN, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

LOOSE-LEAF DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1920.

Application filed May 31, 1916. Serial No. 100,843.

To all whom it may concern? Be it known that I, JOHN L. McMILLAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loose- Leaf Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to loose-leaf devices, and particularly to those of the'post-binder t e.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a binder of this type in which the ends of the binder posts are housed in the top binding bar or follower, and are automatically guided into their housing as the follower is moved toward the post base, so that the ends of the posts 'do not re- .quire any special manipulation in the adjustment of the binder. Subsidiary features are a special form of flexible binding member or post which may flex on a short radius in a single direction; a special arrangement of toggle clutch lock which may be made to coact smoothly and certainly with a post of this or other flexible type; a special arrangement of guides which causes the binder post ends to pass each other within the follower, thus increasing the capacity range of the binder by increasing the maximum length of post which may be housed in the follower; and certain de tails of construction by which I am enabled. to combine with a device of this particular type certain features of the lock mechanism described and claimed in my Patent No. 1,126,811, granted February 2, 1915.

. The invention is based upon a recognition of the fact that the so called binder posts are primarily tension members and their rigidity, though useful, is secondary to their tensile action. Consequently it is feasible in many cases to use simple flexible members as posts provided they be stiff enough to guide themselves into the follower. Rigidity of the assembled binder structure is of course desirable and by using posts made of a plurality of short sections or links hinged together and provided with abutting stop shoulders I secure an almost smooth post which when straight is substantially rigid in all directions but one. The two posts commonly used are necessarily tied together by. the follower, and consequently by mounting them to flex in substantially the same plane, but in opposite directions, a substantially rigid binder structure is secured with posts which can flex on a short enough radius to be automatically guided into a casing on the follower.

In any post binder it is desirable that means be provided for locking the follower on the post in any desired adjustment. To permit this I guide the flexible posts so that they are held straight at the clamping point. In this condition they present a substantially continuous cylindrical surface permitting the use of any clutch or clamp. The most desirable form is of course a toggle clutch because of its ratchet action and its powerful grip.

For the reasons above outlined I prefer the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete device with the follower and its attached cover lifted clear of the leaves or sheets;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the post base and flexible posts, assembled with the follower bar and post guides carried thereby. The post guide casing is removed to show the guides and the position assumed by the flexible posts;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the post base and follower showing the post guides and locking mechanism;

Fig. 4: is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 isa vertical section 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing the push lever or trigger mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of a post, showing the fastening screw and one link or section detached;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view (partly broken away) of the casing for the follower bar and post guides;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the bottom guides for the posts;

Fig. 10 shows parts of the lock actuator mechanism separated; and

Fig. 11 shows parts of the toggle postlock or clutch separated.

The post base 15 is of usual form and on the line when used in aledger or book it is provided with hinge lugs 16 by which the bottom cover is attached. The post base 15 is made of sheet metal folded upon itself to form a flattened tube and is provided with end caps 17. Any other suitable construction may of course be adopted. The posts areeach provided with a bottom section 18 which is connected to the post base by means of a screw 19. This screw 19 is countersunk into the post base as indicated in Fig. 3,. and threaded into the hollow end of the section 18. Each screw 19 is held by a small set screw 20 to prevent it from loosening. The post base 15 is ordinarily covered with leather in the usual manner, the leather bein indicated by the numeral 21 in Fig. 3. Tlinged to the section 18 is a flexible post made up of a plurality of identical short links or sections. a cylindrical body portion 22 having oblique ends 26 and 27 and having a tongue 23 nearly as long as the body portion 22 extending from its end 26. The oppositeend 27 of the body portion 22 is provided with a longitudinal slot 24: to receive the tongue 23 of the next adjacent section which is hinged therein by means of a pin 25 passing substantially diametrically through the body portion and tongue and riveted in place. The end 26 of one body portion abuts against the end 27 of the adjacent body portion when the post is straightened out, so that the post then is rigid in all directions but one. Each body portion 22 is short, considerably less than twice its diameter in length, and this produces a flexible post which will bend on a short radius. The tongues 23 are at the lower ends of the links and are rounded off so as not to project and catch the follower. The hinge pin has been heretofore usually placed near one side in an effort to increase the effective area of the abutting shoulders.

' I secure the same result by making the abutting shoulders oblique to the axis of the post while using a din-metrical hinge pin. This diametrical pin is advantageous, because it can be riveted flush with the post, instead of having its riveted ends countersunk, because it provides a post that does not present deep notches to catch sheets, and because it does not tend to bend at any point under the pull of the follower.

, The flexible posts are fastened to the post base 15 so that they fold toward each other, but are given just sufficient angular offset to cause their free ends to clear each other.

A tubular follower-bar 28 is slidably mounted on the flexible binder posts. This is formed of sheet metal folded upon itself and incloses a post-locking or clutch mechanism later to be described. It is also provided with hinge lugs 29 for a top cover. The binder posts pass through the follower- Each section consists of bar and emerge at its top between guides arranged in pairs, each pair consisting of a top guide 30 and a bottom guide 31. These pairs of guides are mounted on top of the follower and extend longitudinally thereon. The bottom guides 31 lap past each other as best shown in Fig. 2.

Complete withdrawal of the flexible posts through the follower is prevented by stop screws 32 at the ends of the posts. A casing 33 is slid endwise into place so as to inclose the follower-bar 28 and the guides 30 and 31. It is held in place by screws 3 Its ends are closed by caps 35 and the body is covered with leather 36 in the usual manner.

The range of expansion offered by the construction illustrated in the drawing is suflicient for all ordinary purposes, but if desired, extension sections may be added, in the manner common in this art, between section 18 and post base 15. As such sections are in common use it is unnecessary to illustrate them.

Any means for locking the follower-bar upon the post might be used, but for compactness and strength it is desirable that this be located within the follower-bar 28.

I have adapted the structure forming the subject matter of my prior patent, above identified, to the present field of use, and the construction of the device so adaptedis best illustrated in Figs. 3 to 6, 10 and 11.

An actuator frame 37 and two lock frames 38 are held in spaced relation in the tubular follower-bar 28 by clamping the bar around them. The lock frames38 are each provided with an aperture 39 through which the binder post passes. A pair of L- shaped toggle plates 40 are assembled in each of the frames 38 with their lugs 41 entering apertures 42 in the frames 38. The plates 40 are urged downward and toward each other so as to bite upon the sides of the post passing between them, by a downwardly bowed spring 43, which is placed on top of the plates 40 and whose ends bear against the under side of the top of the tubular follower-bar 28.

The middle frame 37 which is the actuator frame, carries in the guide notches i l a rotary actuator bar formed with rectangular cam portions 45 at its ends, and two crank portions 46 set at about to each other near its middle. The end portions 45 of the actuator bar extend through notches 47 in the frames 38 and lie beneath the spring-held toggle plates 40. The rectangular cam portions 45 are not square but are oblong in cross section. Hence when turned to one position they elevate the plates 40 to release the binder posts and when turned to a position at 90 therewith they allow the plates to be depressed by their springs 43 so as to clutch the posts.

In either position the flat surface of the cam exerts a retaining tendency on the ac tuator bar.

The actuator bar is rotated alternately in reverse directions by two arms 48 each of which has a hinge lug 49 held in a corre sponding slot 50 in the actuator frame 87 and each of which bears at its free end against a corresponding crank portion 46 of the actuator bar. The arms 18 are operated by two pivoted triggers 51 mounted in a supporting plate 52 which is carried by follower bar 28. The triggers 51 project through apertures 58 in case 83 and bear upon the tops of push buttons 54 which in turn bear upon the arms 48. Various other mechanical connections between triggers 51 and cranks 16 are obvious and will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

From an examination of the drawings and particularly Fig. 3, it will be noted that the flexible binder posts pass through three thicknesses of metal in entering the bottom of the follower-bar 28 and two thicknesses of metal at the top of the followerbar, and that the clear span within the follower-bar 28 is materially shorter than the over-all length of the individual links forming the flexible posts. Consequently the links are very firmly supported, and a laterally acting clamping means may be used. Furthermore, the opposed relation of the two toggle plates in each set neutralizes the deflecting tendency exerted by the plates individually.

I regard the use of a toggle locking mechanism placed within the tubular followerbar, and particularly the use of opposed toggle plates in this relation, as of peculiar advantage when used with binder posts of the general type herein described. A further advantage of the structure is that almost the entire lock and lock-actuating mechanism may be mounted within the follower-bar, thus permitting the use of a relatively small case 33 for the post and post guides.

It is obvious to those skilled in the art that certain features of the invention are available for use with flexible posts other than the hinged metallic posts illustrated. I contemplate such use, and the modifica tion of the clamping mechanism which may be entailed by the different nature of the posts. Various types of flexible post might be used provided they have suflicient inherent rigidity to cause them to enter the follower and coact properly with guiding means placed therein. The term post is used throughout the descriptionand claims because this is a term used in this art to describe that element of binders of this class. The term does not, however, when so used imply any rigidity beyond that just pointed out as essential to a proper guiding of the post members into the follower. Although in the accompanying drawings I have shown a binder having two flexible posts and ordinarily prefer to use this number, either more or fewer may be used as found expedient in any given case. It is also apparent that the use of the covers illustrated in Fig. 1 and attached to the hinge lugs 16 and 29 is purely an incidental feature, the present invention residing in the binder structure proper and not in its particular field of use.

In certain of the claims the chamber in the follower is described as laterally extending, the word laterally here meaning with reference to the effective part of the post between the post base and follower.

Having thus described myv invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a binder including a post base and a follower, of a flexible binder post having a free end within the follower, and comprising a plurality of oblique-ended cylindrical body sections abutting in alined relation, each section having a rigid tongue of nearly the length of the body section entering a slot in the adjacent body section, and hinge pins passing sub stantially diametrically through each body section and the tongue of the adjacent body section; and post-guiding means on said follower for guiding the free end portion of said post.

2. The combination with a binder including a post base and a follower, of a flexible binder post having a free end, and comprising a plurality of oblique ended cylindrical body sections abutting in alined relation, each section having a rigid tongue rounded at its end and of nearly the length of the body section, entering a slot in the adjacent body section, and hinge pins passing substantially diametrically through each body section and the tongue of the adjacent body section; and post-guiding means on said follower for guiding the free end portion of said post.

3. The combination with a binder including a post base and a follower, of a flexible binding post having a free end within the follower, and comprising a plurality of oblique ended cylindrical body sections abutting in alined relation, the length of each section approximating} its diameter, each section having a rigid tongue of nearly the length of the body section entering a slot in the adjacent body section, and binge pins passing substantially diametrically through each body section and the tongue of the adj acent body section; and post-guiding means on said follower for guiding the free end portion of said post.

4. The combination of a flexible post comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together; a follower 'slidably mounted on said post and including a pair of postconfining members spaced apart a distance less than the length of a post section; and laterally acting post locking means mounted between said post-confining members.

5. The combination of a flexible post comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together, a follower slidably mounted on said post and including a pair of post-confining members spaced apart a distance less than the length of a post section; a toggle locking plate mounted between said postconfining members; and means for actuating said plate to cause it to grip or release said post.

6. The combination of a flexible post comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together; a follower slidably mounted on said post and including a pair of post confining members spaced apart a distance less than the length of a post section; a pair of post locking toggle plates mounted between said post-confining members; and means for actuating said plates to cause them to grip or release said post.

7. The combination of a flexible post comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together; a follower slidably mounted on said post; laterally acting post clamping means carried by said follower; and postconfining means for holding adjacent post sections in alinement atthe point of action of said post clamping means.

8. The combination of a flexible post comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together; a follower slidably mounted on said post; a spring actuated toggle clutch carried by said follower; and postconfining means on said follower for holding adjacent sections of said post in alinement at the point of action of said clutch.

9. A post binder comprising, in combination, a post base; a pair of flexible binder posts composed of rigid sections hinged together and mounted on said base in spaced relation; a hollow follower for receiving the inactive portions of said posts; guiding means within said follower for deflecting the free ends of said posts laterally, whereby the end portions of the posts are directed into and inclosed wholly within the follower side by side; and post-engaging means carried by said follower.

10. A post binder comprising, in combination, a post base; a pair of flexible binder posts mounted on said base in spaced relation, and each comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together so as to be deflected into substantially the same plane and to lie side by side; a hollow follower ex tending between said posts for receiving the free portions of said posts; guiding means in said follower for deflecting the ends of said posts in the general direction of the length of the follower and laying them side by side therein; and a postclamping mechanism carried by the follower.

11. A post binder comprising, in combination, a post base; flexible posts mounted thereon composed of rigid links hinged together; a follower freely slidable on said posts; post-clamping means carried by the follower; and post guides carried by the follower, serving automatically to deflect and guide the ends of the posts in the direction of the length of the follower as the latter is moved toward the post base, and to lay them side by side within the follower.

12. The combination of a post base; a pair of flexible binder posts mounted on said base in spaced relation; a hollow follower provided with apertures for receiving the ends of said posts; and guides one for each post, mounted within the follower and lapping past each other for directing the'ends of said posts past each other within the follower.

13. The combination of a post base; a pair of binder posts mounted on said base in spaced relation; each comprising a plurality of rigid sections hinged together and provided with abutting surfaces, whereby each post is flexible in but a single direction, said posts being mounted in said base so as to flex toward each other; a follower mounted to slide freely upon said posts; and guides for the post ends mounted on said follower and adapted to guide the ends of the posts longitudinally of the follower and past each other.

14. A post binder comprising in combination a post base, a pair of flexible posts, each composed of short sections hinged together;

a follower slidably mounted on said posts; longitudinal guides on said follower for directing the ends of the posts longitudinally on the follower; a toggle locking mechanism mounted in said follower; and an actuator for said locking mechanism including a pair of alternately acting push pieces for lookin or releasing said locking mechanism.

15. A post binder comprising in combination a post base, a pair of flexible posts composed of short cylindrical sections hinged together; a hollow follower slidably mounted on said posts; a toggle lockin mechanism for the posts inclosed within said follower; casing and guiding means for the ends of said flexible posts mounted on the follower; and an accessible actuating device for said toggle locking mechanism.

16. A post binder comprising, in combination, a post base; a pair of flexible posts composed of short sections hinged together; a follower slidably mounted upon said posts and having two walls perforated to permit the passage through them of said posts, said Walls separated a distance less than the total length of a single link of the posts;

and clamping devices located between said walls and acting directly upon the posts between said walls; whereby the clamped sections'of the posts are maintained in axial alinernent with that portion of the posts between the follower and the base, and are prevented from flexing and interfering with the action of the clamp.

17. A post binder comprising, in combination, a post base; a pair of flexible posts composed of short sections hinged together; a hollow follower provided with upper and lower alined guide openings for the respective posts, and a laterally extending guide passage for said posts above said upper guide openings, and a locking clamp carried by said follower and acting upon one of said posts at a point between its guide openings and below the point of fiexure or bending of said post to enter said laterally extending guide passage.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN L. McMILLAN. 

